


Rainbow Autumn

by Pepper (Zalt)



Series: Walking the Rainbow [4]
Category: Star Wars: Rebels, Star Wars: Thrawn Series - Timothy Zahn (2017)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Domestic Fluff, F/M, Fix-It, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-17
Updated: 2019-02-17
Packaged: 2019-10-30 08:50:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,518
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17825645
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zalt/pseuds/Pepper
Summary: Autumn brings good news - a ficlet for fluff friday on the Thryce Discord. Set half a year or so after the events in Rainbow's End.





	Rainbow Autumn

When the soil of Rainbow was determined to be safe for growing food, Grand Admiral Thrawn decreed that half the content of the hydroponic gardens on the _Chimaera_ should be transferred planetside for further cultivation.

A year later, the fertile soil and beneficial climate had worked their wonders, more than quadrupling the yield of the crops the little settlement and their orbiting starship depended on. As part of the festivities marking the first celebration of Planetfall, Grand Admiral Thrawn and settlement Governor Arihnda Pryce had ceremonially planted several of the ship’s precious citrus trees in the settlement, the largest of them in a clearing within view of their own house. It was, they said, a symbol of hope and commitment to the future.

A future that was uncertain. Repairs on the _Chimaera_ had been completed as well as they could be without the assistance of a properly equipped shipyard, and the stores were stockpiled with food grown, harvested and hunted on Rainbow. But preliminary scouting missions had revealed a galaxy much changed during their decade of involuntary purrgil-forced exile. The Empire was no more, and the few remnants left were squabbling with other emerging factions for power. A situation ripe with opportunity for someone of Thrawn’s skills and ambitions, but he was loath to act without sufficient information.

So for now, they waited--the _Chimaera_ guarding their rural paradise from orbit, while the ship’s shuttles and the few hyperdrive-enabled fighters went out to gather information and set up signal relays. When the time was right, Thrawn would act. Until then, he had other priorities.

 

* * *

 

“Mom! Wake up! You have to come see!”

Arihnda blinked groggily, waking up to the sight of her daughter launching herself merrily onto the bed and jumping excitedly up and down on the side currently devoid of Thrawn.

“Oh stars… take it easy, kitten. You’re not a little child anymore. You’re making me spacesick with that jumping.” Arihnda tried to untangle herself from the blankets to sit up, tugging her oversized nightgown into place.

Ras plopped down on the bed, unfazed, and crawled forward until she could give her mother an impulsive hug, nearly unbalancing the two of them in the process. Then she bounced back to her feet and down from the bed. “You don’t have to get dressed, it’s not cold outside. Hurry!” The child was all but vibrating with excitement, red eyes wide and happy in her pale face.

“All right, all right, I’ll be there. But I really need to use the ‘fresher first. Where’s dad?”

“In the ‘fresher!” Ras ran out of the room, and Arihnda could hear her calling excitedly. “Dad, c’mon, mom needs the ‘fresher too, hurry!”

Arihnda squinted at the window to see daylight seep in around the curtains. She had slept in, against her custom. But the settlement was running smoothly and there was nothing urgent on her agenda; she could afford a little time with her family this morning. And she really needed the extra rest, these days.

Locating her slippers (homemade, but functional), she ran her fingers through her hair, wrapped a shawl over her shoulders, and shuffled out of the bedroom.

She met Thrawn at the threshold to the ‘fresher, stepping aside to let him out. He must have been up for a while already, wearing the comfortably worn clothing he used around the house when there were no other duties, and looking impertinently well-groomed. She wrinkled her nose at him at the unfairness of it all, and he responded by beeping it and smiling before surrendering the ‘fresher to her.

Arihnda could hear Ras chattering animatedly at her father in Cheunh while she herself finished a minimal morning routine. Thrawn was a pushover in many ways when it came to his daughter, but he had some firm rules. And for the two of them to speak Cheunh when they were alone was one of them. It seemed pointless to Arihnda -- what use could Ras possibly have for the language of the xenophobic and willfully isolated race that had exiled her father? But Ras seemed happy enough to comply.

When Arihnda had finished, she rejoined the two of them in the living room, and made a show of putting on a serious face. “Perhaps I should make some breakfast first. And the beds probably need airing, and I should check if there are any messages from my staff…”

Ras immediately ran over and took her mother’s hand, tugging at it. “No, mom! You need to see now! Both of you!”

Arihnda allowed herself to be dragged off, exchanging a smile over Ras’ head with Thrawn. He took his daughters other hand, and together they ventured out into the morning sunlight.

 

* * *

 

Their little family home was at the edge of the settlement, facing forests and fields on one side, and a little clearing shared with a few other houses on the other. It was a deliberate choice -- their working hours were spent in the center of the settlement, alternating so one of them, or Ezra, was always with Ras. When they were both off duty, they wanted some semblance of privacy and a family life.

Now, Ras was dragging them both to the side of the clearing, and the citrus tree planted there. It had been the oldest and largest on the ship, and the half year or so since it had been replanted here had been enough to cause it to expand visibly, branches reaching wider and taller. Arihnda privately speculated that this was more than a natural growth -- Ezra and Ras were both fond of spending their lessons in the shade of the tree, and they both seemed supernaturally attuned to the living things on Rainbow. Perhaps that extended to plants, as well.

In early autumn, the tree’s crown of leaves was full, and though there were fewer fruits than before, after the shock of transfer, those that were left were large and healthy-looking, colored a bright yellow that was not out of place among the glorious autumn colors of the planet.

Ras dragged her parents over to the trunk of the tree, and let their hands go. She pointed up. “See! Do you see them?”

Thrawn and Arihnda stepped closer, looking up to see what might be hidden among the leaves and branches.

Shading her eyes against the low sun, Arihnda saw the familiar shape of Kitty’s nest. The local winged predator, that Ras had instantly bonded with when they arrived at the planet, had claimed the citrus tree as its own within days of it being planted. It had constructed an ornate hemispherical nest, and spent increasing amounts of time perched in the tree. Arihnda remembered that Ras had initially been sad not to have Kitty with her day and night any longer, but after a long talk with Ezra she had finally accepted that Kitty might have other important Kitty things to do, and been comforted that she could always visit the tree if she needed Kitty for anything.

The reason for Kitty’s withdrawal was now obvious. Kitty was perched proudly on one of the large branches holding its (her?) nest, as two miniature Kittys were climbing precariously around on the nest, tiny wings fluttering as they chirped at each other.

“Kitty has _babies_ !” Ras was bouncing up and down on her heels, looking quickly at her parents and then back up at the nest. “They are so _cute_! Do you think I can hold them?”

Thrawn and Arihnda exchanged glances. Then Thrawn stepped closer, sliding one arm around Arihnda’s waist. He told Ras gravely, “I believe that decision will be for Kitty to make. Why don’t you ask?”

Ras nodded eagerly, and started climbing the tree with easy familiarity, moving slowly as she neared the nest and finally stopping at a respectable distance to commune silently with Kitty. The Kitty-babies had stopped their exploring of the nest and were chirping curiously in Ras’ direction, looking half torn between examining her closer or fleeing back to their parent.

Arihnda did not realize she had put a hand on her stomach until Thrawn put his hand on top of hers. He spoke softly. “Perhaps this is a good time to tell her. It has been more than the critical three months the medic spoke of.”

Ras appeared to have reached an agreement with Kitty. She slowly climbed closer to the nest, and squealed with glee as one of the babies suddenly launched into the air, gliding a short distance to land in her hair.

To the sound of happy laughter, Arihnda looked at Thrawn. And felt a warm calm settle deep within her, spreading through her body and mind. She touched her free hand to his cheek in a caress, then slid it around to the back of his head to pull him closer. The kiss was slow and lingering, and when it ended her blue eyes sparkled with joy.

“Yes.”

Thrawn smiled, and held Arihnda close to his heart as they watched their daughter, waiting to tell her of the change coming to their little family.

 

The End

**Author's Note:**

> The previous challenge on the Thryce channel had "spring" and "fertility" as two key words. For me, autumn is the season I most associate with fertility; when crops are ripe, trees heavy with fruit, and the forests are full of berries and mushrooms. (Let's just handwave the local fauna having their babies just before winter sets in, there's probably a perfectionly logical reason :D)


End file.
